Clasp



Sepi- T', i956 A. 1. REED 2,762,099

CLASP Filed April 2e, 1954 A T TOR/VE Ys United States Patent Office 2,762,099 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 CLASP Anthony J. Reed, Glens Falls, N. Y.

Application April 28, 1954, Serial No. 426,235

Claims. (Cl. 24-49) My invention relates to clasps and particularly but not exclusively -to clasps which are adapted to secure a four-in-hand necktie to the front of a shirt.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple clasp which will positively grip a portion of a necktie and a shirt front when inserted therein.

I accomplish this and other objects, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, by the means described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of my preferred form of clasp;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the clasp as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a detail before it is assembled with the other element of the clasp;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the detail shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section of Fig. l in the plane 5 5;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modification; and

Fig. 7 is a front View of the device shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing- My device comprises a bifurcated element i, having branches 2 and 3 which are preferably parallel to each other and which are spaced to receive therebetween a portion of a four-in-hand necktie and a shirt front. As illustrated, the upper branch 2 of the bifurcated element has integral therewith a tongue 4 which is free at the end 5 and laterally spaced, as shown at 6 and '7, from the adjacent portions of the branch 2. The tongue 4 is provided adjacent its free end with an opening 8 and, on the upper side thereof, is provided with longitudinally spaced depressions 9 which may be holes instead of depressions.

Mounted to slide on the portions of the branch 2 which are adjacent the tongue 4, is an element 1t) having a depending central portion 11 adapted to t in the holes or depressions 9. The element 16 has at each side thereof a groove 12 which slidably engages the portions 13 and 14 of the branch 2. The bottom of the element is recessed, as shown at 15 in Figs. 4 and 5, to receive the tongue 4.

In order to assemble the device, the slide element 10 is rst positioned over the end of the tongue 4 with the depending projection 11 in the opening 8 in the tongue and with the slide element 10 turned 90 from the position shown in Fig. l. The slide 10 is provided with four laterally projecting tongues 17, the tops of which are originally coplanar with the plane top of the slide 10. The slide is then turned 90 until the tongues 17 overlie the spaces 6 and 7 between the tongue 4 and the adjacent portions of the branch 2. They are then bent downwardly into these spaces, as shown in Fig. l, which secures the slide in place.

When the slide 10 is positioned over the free end of the tongue 4 with the projection 10 in the opening 8, the top and bottom surfaces of the tongue are coplanar with the top and bottom surfaces of the branch 2 and, when in this position, a portion of a necktie and shirt front may be inserted between the branches 2 and 3. By then moving the slide 10 from the free end of the tongue 4 towards the point where it becomes integral with the branch 2, the tongue will be depressed towards the other branch 3 of the bifurcated element and positively engage the material between said branches.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a bifurcated element 18 having a tongue 19 integral therewith which is substantially identical wtih the tongue 4 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. That is to say, it is laterally spaced, as shown at 20 and 21 from the adjacent portions of the branch 22 of the element 18. Portions of the branch 22 in a zone intermediate the ends of the tongue 19 are turned upwardly, as shown at 24, to form bearings for the lever 25. The lever 25 has upturned portions 26 which are pivotally secured to the portions 24 by pins 27. The lever 25 at the end thereof which is closely adjacent its pivotal -connection to the branch 22, is provided with an upturned portion 28.

Normally, the tongue 19 is coplanar with the branch l 22 of the bifurcated element but, when the lever 25 is swung into the position shown in dotted outline at 25', the tongue 19 will be depressed, as indicated in dotted outline at 19', and hold a portion of a necktie and a shirt front inserted between'the branches 22 and 23 of the bifurcated element securely together.

The bifurcated elements are formed of resilient material preferably metal and, if desired, the under side of the tongue and the upper side of the branches 3 and 23 of the bifurcated elements may be roughened in order to insure definite frictional engagement by said clasp.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes, within the purview of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is:

1. A clasp adapted to secure a necktie to a shirt front and comprising an elongated bifurcated element formed of resilient metal and having substantially parallel disposed branches adapted to pass portions of a necktie and shirt front therebetween; one of said branches having a tongue integral therewith free at one end and laterally spaced from the adjacent portions of said branch; and manually slidable means, cooperating with those portions of said one branch which are adjacent the lateral edges of said tongue, adapted to cooperate with said tongue when slid from a position adjacent the free end of said tongue towards the other end thereof to force said tongue progressively inwardly towards the other of said branches and into clasping engagement with a necktie and shirt having portions disposed between said branches.

2. A clasp adapted to secure a necktie to a shirt front and comprising an elongated bifurcated element formed of resilient metal and having substantially parallel disposed branches adapted to pass portions of a necktie and shirt front therebetween; one of said branches having a tongue integral with and normally substantially within said one branch; and manually operable means for forcing said tongue inwardly toward the other of said branches and into engagement with a shirt and necktie having portions thereof disposed between said branches.

3. A clasp adapted to secure a necktie to a shirt front and comprising an elongated bifurcated element formed of resilient metal and having substantially parallel disposed branches adapted to pass portions of a necktie and shirt front therebetween; one of said branches having a tongue integral with and normally substantially within said one branch; and manually slidable means cooperating of resilient metal and having substantially parallel dis-l posed bra'nches adapted to pass portions of a necktie j and shirt fro'nttherebetween; one of said branches havn'g a tongue Vintegral therewith and normally within said one branch and parallel Vto the other branch; a lever pivotally mounted 'on said branch having said tongue Mtherein and providedwith means adapted, when said lever vis swung about its mounting, to cooperate with said 'tongue k1:`o1"fo'r'cir1'g'it inwardly towards the other of sa-id branches and into engagement with a shirt and necktie having ,portions'thereof' disposed between said branches.

5. A clasp adapted to secure'a necktie to a shirt front "and comprising an elongated-bifurcated element formed ofresilientmaterialand having substantially parallel disposed branches adapted to pass portions of a necktie and shirt front therebetween; one of said branches having normally Within it 'an-elongated, longitudinally vextending tongue integral therewith in a zone adjacent one end of said branch and having yits free end adjacent the other end of said branch; and manually operable'means mounted to slide longitudinally on said one branch and cooperating with said tongue when slid from a zone adjacent the free end thereof ytowards its other end, to force said tongue out of said one branch towards the other of said branches and into engagement with a shirt and necktie having portions thereof disposed between said branches.

References Cited in the tile of this patentV UNITED STATES PATENTS 

